Praise

“…Yeah, I like the Mitch Rapp, Gabriel Allon, and John Wells series…but if you told me I could only pick one as my favorite, it would be the Pike Logan books. I like the mix of 3rd and 1st person viewpoints, and with each book, Taylor’s writing grows more confident, and Pike’s POV becomes more nuanced. While they don’t pop-up often enough (for me), the little one-liners and quips provide a nice little dose of humor. They add a nice little something extra that I don’t notice so much in other series. Add to that, I continue to like how Pike grows as a character, and how he struggles to walk the line between killer and murderer (this distinction becomes an emphasis in this story). In other words, Taylor takes the time to explore how Pike’s work affects him, especially pyschologically. And I think this, along with his “voice”, is what really pushes Pike to the top of my favorite “heroes” list. Not to mention that each story is well-paced and believable…I know I sound like a broken record, but for fans of espionage and thrillers, I can’t recommend this series enough. Great, great stuff!

If you’re a fan of fast-paced, international thrillers, you’re in for a real treat…Taylor’s tale could easily be ripped from tomorrow’s newspaper’s blood-soaked headlines — it’s filled with authenticity, societal insights and highly defined geographical details…Taylor’s feisty, strong-willed heroes will linger long after the last page is turned.

“Taylor is a master of the cringe-inducing moment, and there are plenty of them here… Taylor gets exponentially better with each book, and if someone is hunting for a literary franchise to turn into a film, they need to be looking at this series.”

Pike Logan returns in another stellar effort from Taylor, a retired Delta Force commander. What starts off as a simple mission to track down an assassin called the Ghost ends up becoming something very different. Working with the first woman allowed in Special Forces, Logan and partner Jennifer find their cover blown almost immediately. Torture and an unorthodox rescue follow. But the biggest enemy of all has yet to reveal himself, a criminal mastermind with ties to Logan’s past. How Logan handles the truth could jeopardize both the mission and his team. Readers of novels set in the world of Special Forces have many choices, but Taylor is one of the best. His obvious insider knowledge, combined with a well-constructed narrative, make all his work—and this novel, in particular—a delight for fans of the subgenre. The added female viewpoint here provides a fascinating perspective on a primarily male-dominated world.

—Jeff Ayers, Booklist, 1 December 2012

Bestseller Taylor’s action-packed third Pike Logan thriller (after 2012’s All Necessary Force) takes Pike, love interest Jennifer Cahill (now a seasoned warrior), and other members of Taskforce, “a counterterrorism organization made up of the best operators from the special mission units of the Department of Defense and the national clandestine service of the CIA,” to Dubai, where embittered Palestinian Abdul Rahman (aka the Ghost) is concocting a clever plan involving an elevator and explosives to assassinate Jeffrey McMasters, the new U.S. peace envoy to the region. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Pike, the terrorist known as Infidel also has an interest in McMasters and the peace mission. It’s a case of spy vs. spy vs. spy until Pike does what he does best—take the bastards down. Taylor, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, may not bring anything new to this subgenre, but those who prize authentic military action will be rewarded.

The United States government has secretly brokered a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, and terrorist forces plan to subvert it. Logan heads a clandestine Taskforce team that’s determined to identify and root out the threat while there is still time. Logan’s team must prevent an assassination in Qatar, facing down two adversaries. One is an Arab known as the Ghost, and the other is an American named Lucas Kane, who would murder his own mother for the right price. Logan knows him only too well, while Kane sees both men as killers at heart. Is Kane right, or does Logan have a moral core that sets him apart? He certainly gains the reader’s sympathy as he struggles to balance being a rule-bending badass with being a human who has emotions extending beyond rage. In the past, Logan suffered a horrible personal loss that bears directly on his motivation, yet surprisingly, his climactic action hinges more on what happens to a colleague. The story moves along at a rapid clip, using short chapters and at least four points of view to grab and hold the reader’s attention. The terrorists are smart, capable enemies, very much an even match for Logan’s team.